Night Circus

“The circus arrives without warning.” This first line of The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern warns the reader from the get-go that this is no ordinary circus. In fact, it is called the Circus of Dreams and as the story progresses the dreamlike quality of the writing and of the setting is quite apparent. For Celia and Marco, the circus is the setting for their magical competition, a competition they have been playing at for a very long time. Bound to compete by their guardians, Celia and Marco train for the game all their lives. When they finally meet and realize that they are competitors, it is already too late; they are in love. As their guardians, foes themselves, manipulate their wards, Celia and Marco realize that their love must be sacrificed for the Circus because if they refuse to finish the game, the circus will be destroyed. If they continue to play until the end, one competitor wins and the other dies. Recommendation: For readers who are looking for a bit of Harry Potter in their stories, look no further. The Night Circus is a magical tale about love and sacrifice and friendship. The novel was originally written for adults, but has since been marketed to young adults. There is content that might not be appropriate for a middle school reader. The writing and story will appeal more to mature teens with high reading levels. Recommended by Abby Moore, Librarian, South Dakota, USA